Cushion and pump for vehicles.



No. 799,786. PATBNTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

W. S. PREEL.

CUSHION AND PUMP FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

W. S. FREEL. CUSHION AND PUMP FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.10,1905.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES I PATENT orrron.

WILLIAM s, FREEL, or BAY CITY, MICHIGAN,

CUSHION AND PUIVIP FOR VEHICLES- Specification of" Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application filed March 10, 1905. Serial No. 249,491.

This invention is designed in the preferred use thereof as a combinedspring and pneumatic cushion readily adapted for supporting the seat ofa bicycle or any vehicle, the invention being illustrated in connectionwith a wheel, however.

The invention not only resides in the construction of a device havingthe cushion function above mentioned, but in the provision of astructure which is extremely advantageous, in that it may be readilyconverted into a pump to supply air to a reservoir or the like.

In its application to a wheel or vehicle the device may be used to pumpup pneumatic tires, and the same contemplates a peculiar assemblance ofparts admitting of adjustment and manipulation for various purposes, aswill appear more fully as the description proceeds.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire aknowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings.

While the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions bychanges inthe structure and minor details without departing from thespirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment isshown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a wheel or bicycle, showing the invention applied thereto.Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the cushion or pump devicealone. Fig.

3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, the seat-post be-- ing depressed and thevarious parts shown in proper relative positions.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the'followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

Generally speaking, the invention consists of a main barrel or cylinder1, the lower end of which is closed by means of a plug 2. The plug 2 isprovided with a threaded opening therein into which is threaded thelower portion of a fixed hollow piston-rod 3. Near the upper portion ofthe piston-rod 3 is disposed the piston 4, carried by said rod, and thispiston 4 is located within an inner cylinder 5,

mounted for movement within the barrel 1. The inner cylinder 5 is closedat its upper end by a plug or similar part 6, threaded thereto, and thelower end of the cylinder 5 carries the piston 7, which operates withinthe bar.

rel l in the use of the invention. The piston 7 is secured to the lowerend of the cylinder 5 in any suitable manner, and preferably a plug 8 isthreaded into the said lower end of the cylinder 5, and the piston 7 iscarried by an extension 9 of the plug 8, being threaded thereto.

The seat-post is indicated at 10,which post is of tubular form having alongitudinal opening 11 therethrough. The lower portion of the post 10is provided with a shoulder 12 of,

approximately rectangular form, and a guide member 13, having arectangular opening therein, is received upon the shoulder 12 of thepost 10. Ends of the guide member 13 operate in guides formed byvertical slots or 10, as the said post moves up and down in the actualconditions of service to which it is subjected. The opening 11 in theseat-post 10 is threaded a short distance from the lower end of saidpost to receive the upper end of a piston-rod 15, which is also oftubular form and which telescopes in the fixed rod 3, which is 1 carriedat the lower end portion of the barrel 1, as before described. The lowerend of the piston-rod 15 is provided with a piston 16, which moves inthe piston-rod 3. The lower end of the piston-rod 3 projects out of thebarrel 1, and a valve 17 is disposed at the lower extremity of the rod3, so as to govern ingress of air through a vertical port 18 at thispoint. The vertical port 18 is formed in the lower extremity of thepiston-rod 3 and terminates at its upper end at lateral inletports 19.Just above the ports 19 a plug 20 is disposed, and said plug may connectsections of tubing which compose the rod 3. Between the plug 20 and thepiston 16 is interposed a coil-spring 21, the normal expansive action ofwhich is such as to tend to force the piston 16 upwardly. The piston 7and the plug 8 are provided with smooth bores therethrough to admit oflongitudinal movement of these parts within the barrel 1, the same beingguided to a certain extent by means of the rigid piston-rod 3, whichpasses there- ,80 The guide member 13 is utilized to IIO through. Thepiston 4 is immovable, being rigid with the piston-rod 3. Othercoil-springs are used in connection with the device, a spring 22 beinginterposed between the piston 7 and the lower plug 2 of the. barrel 1.other spring 23 is interposed between the plug 6 at the upper end of thecylinder 5 and the fixed piston 4, which is located therein. Stillanother spring 24 is located between the fixed piston 4 and the plug 8at the lower end of the cylinder 5. The normal tension of the springs 22and 23 tends to force the cylinder 5 toward the upper portion of thebarrel 1.

The arrangement of the pistons, as above described, provides anair-chamber 25 at the lower portion of the barrel 1, a similar chamber26 at the upper portion of the barrel and in the cylinder 5, and a thirdair-chamber 27, formed by the space between the piston 4 and the plug 8.The barrel 1 is closed at its upper end by a plug 28, having a centralopening therethrough receiving the seat-post 10, which is adapted toslide in the plug 28 to afiord a cushion means for the seat which may becarried by said seat-post. The plug 28 may be square atits upper portionto admit of application of a wrench in screwing said plug into and outof the barrel, and between the plug 28 and the guide member 13 may beinterposed a suitable packing ring or rings 29. A clamp-nut 30 isadapted to screw upon exterior threads at the upper extremity of thebarrel 1 in order to firmly reinforce the barrel at this point in thecustomary manner. The nut 30 is prevented from accidental displacementby set-screws 31 or similar devices. By screwing the plug 28 into andout of the barrel 1 the tension of the springs 21, 22, and 23 may beincreased or decreased, so that the device may be adjusted for personsof difi'erent weights, this being very advantageous for obvious reasons.The seat-post 10 is provided at its upper end with the usual cross-bar32, which is hollow, having a longitudinal bore entirely therethrough,and this cross-bar 32 is attached to the seatpost 10 by a threadedsecuring member 33. The member 33 screws through the bar 32 and into thetubular portion of the seat-post 10, and this member 33 is tubular inorder to admit of passage of air therethrough upon opening of a valve34, carried by the outer and upper extremity of the same. The valve 34is preferably guarded by means of a cap 35, having suitable perforationstherein to admit of free ingress of air in the operation of the device.By the provision of the valves 17 and 34 it will be seen that air may beadmitted to the barrel 1 at opposite ends thereof, and this air isutilized as a pneumatic cushion in accordance with the spring-devicemeans to compensate for any jar or vibration and admit of ease andenjoyment in riding the vehicle to which the device may be applied. Thepiston-rod 15 is provided in its length with a plug 36, which is locatedat a point intermediate its below the piston 4, carried by said rod 3.

The rod 15 is provided with a second port 38 just above the piston 16,and this port 38 may register with another port 39 in the rod 3, saidport 39 being situated a short distance above the plug 20.

In operation as the seat-post moves downwardly under the weight carriedthereby the shock is received by the springs, which are disposed in thevarious positions before described. The downward movement of theseat-post carries the cylinder 5 downwardly as well as the pistons 7 and16, and air in the chambers 25 and 26 is compressed. At a predeterminedpoint in the downward movement of the parts in the operation abovedescribed the port 37 registers with the port 38 and the port 37registers with the port 39. The air which is compressed in the chamber25 passes into the tubular rod 15 upon registration of the parts 37 and39 and thence out into the intermediate air-chamber 27, as the ports 37and 38 are also in register. It will be noted that the air in thechamber 25 forms,

a cushion to receive the shoclr or downward movement of the seat-post10, the several springs arranged in the positions mentioned aboveassisting in reduction of the vibration and shock aforesaid. The upwardmovement of the seat-post 10 is retarded by the compression of the aircaused by the movement of the plug 8 toward the piston 4. As theseat-post moves upwardly the piston 7 creates a suction in chamber 25,which draws in air in the parts 18 and'19, and at the same time therelative movement of the plug 6 of the cylinder 5 away from the piston 4will draw air into the chamber 26 through suitable ports 40, which areprovided in the length of the rod 15 proximate and below the plug 6aforementioned.

Under certain conditions it may be desirable to use air which isreceived in the device, which air is in quantity quite a little morethan is necessary to give the requisite cushion to the seat and forsupplying a reservoir or the like. In this instance one end of thecross-bar 32 has a tube 41 connected therewith, and a similar tube 41extends from the bar 32 near its other end. Regulating-valves 42 of anyapproved type are disposed in the length of the tubes 41 near the bar32, so as to be convenient for operation by the rider of the bicycle, ifthe device be applied to such means of conveyance. As shown most clearlyin Fig. 1, one of the tubes 41 extends to a tubular axle-pin, upon whichthe rear wheel of the bicycle is mounted. From the hub of the wheel tothe tire extends an airtube 43, and air may be pumped through the tubes41 and 43, so as to keep the tire hard. In the same way the other of thetubes 41 exbicycle has ready access to the valves 42, so as to regulatethe quantity of air which he desires to supply to the tires, and thiscan be pumped thereto as the bicycle is being ridden. A whistle 47extends from the reservoir 44, being operated by the air contained inthe reservoir at the will of the rider. The tires of the bicycle wouldhave suitable valves to prevent back pressure, as will be obvious. Thevarious advantages of the arrangement of the parts and operation arevery apparent and are not, therefore, described in detail.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. Incombination, a main barrel or cylinder, a cylinder arranged in the saidmain barrel and having its ends closed, a fixed pistonrod in the mainbarrel, a piston carried by said piston-rod and operating in the innercylinder above mentioned, a piston carried by the inner cylinder, atubular post connected with the inner cylinder for operation thereof,and means for supplying air to the cylinders aforesaid.

2. In combination, a main barrel or cylinder, a cylinder arranged in thesaid main barrel and having its ends closed, a fixed pistonrod in themain barrel, a piston carried by said piston-rod and operating in theinner cylinder above mentioned, a piston carried by the inner cylinder,a tubular post connected with the inner cylinder for operation thereof,and valve inlet-ports let through the fixed piston-rod and the postaforesaid.

3. In combination, a main barrel, a cylinder in said barrel and movablelongitudinally thereof, a fixed piston-rod 'in the main barrel, a pistoncarried by said piston-rod and operating in the inner cylinder, a pistoncarried by the inner cylinder and operating in the main barrel, amovable piston-rod passing through the inner cylinder, and a pistoncarried by said piston-rod.

4c. In combination, a main barrel, a cylinder in said barrel, a fixedpiston-rod of tubular formation disposed in the main barrel andextending into the inner cylinder, a piston carried by the fixedpiston-rod and operating in said inner cylinder, a piston carried by theinner cylinder, and a piston operating in the tubular portion of thefixed piston-rod.

5. In combination, a main barrel, a cylinder in said barrel, a fixedpiston-rod of tubular formation disposed in the main barrel andextending into the inner cylinder, a piston carried by the fixedpiston-rod and operating in said inner cylinder, a piston carried by theinner cylinder, a piston operating in the tu bular portion of the fixedpiston-rod, and a piston-rod for actuating the last-mentioned piston andconnected with the inner cylinder.

6. In combination, a main barrel, a cylinder in said. barrel, a fixedpiston-rod of tubular formation disposed in the main barrel andextending into the inner cylinder, a piston carried by the fixedpiston-rod and operating in said inner cylinder, a piston carried by theinner cylinder, a piston operating in the tubular portion of the fixedpiston-rod, a movable piston-rod connected with the last-mentionedpiston and extending through the inner cylinder, a seat-post connectedwith the movable piston-rod aforesaid, and means for supplying air atopposite ends of the main barrel.

7. In combination, a main barrel, a cylinder movable in said main barreland closed at one end, a piston carried by said inner cylinder at itsopposite end, a fixed piston-rod mounted in the main barrel and oftubular formation, a movable piston-rod, a piston carried by saidmovable piston-rod and operating in the tubular portion of the fixedpiston-rod, a piston carried by the fixed piston-rod and operating inthe inner cylinder, and. springs coacting with the pistons aforesaid.

8. In combination, a main barrel, a cylinder movable in said main barreland closed at one end, a piston carried by said inner cylinder at itsopposite end, a fixed piston-rod mounted in the main barrel and oftubular formation, a movable piston-rod, a piston carried by saidmovable piston-rod and operating in the tubular portion of the fixedpiston-rod, a piston carried by the fixed piston-rod and operating inthe cylinder, and springs coacting with the pistons aforesaid, the fixedand movable piston-rods having valve inlet-ports communieating therewithto admit air to the main barrel and the inner cylinder respectively.

9. In combination, a main barrel, a cylinder movable in said main barreland closed at one end, a piston carried by said inner cylinder at itsopposite end, a fixed piston-rod mounted in the main barrel and oftubular formation, a movable piston-rod, a piston carried by'saidmovable piston-rod and operating in the tubular portion of the fixedpiston-rod, a piston carried by the fixed piston-rod and operating inthe cylinder, and springs coacting with the pistons aforesaid, the fixedand movable piston-rods having valve inlet-ports communieating therewithto admit air to the main barrel and the inner cylinder respectively, thesaid movable and fixed piston-rods being provided with other portsadapted to be brought into register to admit air to the space betweenthe piston carried by the fixed piston-rod and the adjacent end of theinner cylinder.

10. In combination, a main barrel, a cylinder movably mounted in saidmain barrel, a fixed piston-rod, a piston carried by said fixed ICCpiston-rod and operating in the inner cylinder, a movable piston-rodconnected with the inner cylinder, a piston carried by the movablepiston-rod and cooperating with the fixed piston-rod, valve inlet-portsleading to the movable and fixed piston-rods to supply air.

to the inner cylinder and the main barrel, and means for actuating themovable piston-rod.

11. In combination, a main barrel, a cylinder movably mounted in saidmain barrel, a fixed piston-rod, a piston carried by said fixedpiston-rod and operating in the inner cylinder, a movable piston-rodconnected with the inner cylinder, a piston carried by the movablepiston-rod and cooperating with the fixed WILLIAM S. FREEL.

Witnesses:

WM. J. MEAGHER, JOHN A. MCDONALD.

